The question of perspective, although seemingly trivial at first, is actually quite relevant. Most actions can only be explained if we know a figure's perspective at the time of the action. It is also worth noting that a figure's perspective changes in the course of the play, although certain things maybe hidden from his awareness until the very end of the dramatic discourse . An example of the change of perspective is the discovery by Mrs. Lovett that the stranger she is talking to, is indeed Benjamin Barker, the barber she secretly used to fancy before he was deported. That simple fact changes her perspective considerably. Instead of finding herself talking to a stranger, she finds herself entertaining an old friend. Her change of perspective is reflected through the music: from a casual and rather loud tone in Poor Thing and The Worst Pies in London to a conspiratorial one in My Friends. It is, however, not only Mrs. Lovett's perspective which changes. When Todd learns that his wife is dead, or at least assumes as much, this change in perspective, (i.e. his awareness), he becomes very vindictive. This vindictiveness is one of the central issue of the play.
A further example of this is evidenced in that had Todd known that the Beggar Woman was Lucy, his wife, he would not have killed her. Because of this simple fact, Todd considered the Beggar Woman just another mumbling hag, and had therefore no conscientious objections to disposing of her. The fact that the Beggar Woman was Lucy comes as a shock for the audience as well. It is here that one must further note: the audience has its own perspective as well. The withholding of important information itself creates suspense.
The description of the perspective structure is very important so as to understand the entire dramatic structure. How can music be integrated in this description of this structure? We have established in the previous chapter that music is a part of the external communication system. One can argue that it plays the same role as the mediator in an epic communication structure. Therefore, when well used, it can increase the awareness of the audience, and thereby changing its perspective. There is one restriction: because music has no direct referentiality, the amount of extra knowledge as it's conveyed by the music, will be less than optimal. That is less than when a narrator has provided them verbal information. An example of this can be found in My Friends. If we examine the music we see that the beginning of the song is is the inversion of the Dies iræ sequence. This makes the audience aware that the song concerns judgment, and possibly revenge, through words however are never mentioned in the actual song. The atmosphere of judgment is heightened by the fact that there is a Nemesis-motive in the accompaniment. And so, the audience is informed that the day of judgment is near, and that those who did wrong will perish. In the same song, we hear Mrs. Lovett air her affection for Sweeney by the use of the seduction motive.
A thriller normally is based on a discrepancy between the awareness of the audience, the author and the main dramatic figures. This discrepancy is one of the factors upon which the suspense is built and heightened.
What kind of of perspective structures are there? Pfister lists three types of perspective structures are described: a-perspective, closed, and open.
In an a-perspectival structure all the dramatic figures share the same perspective; therefore, the audience, almost automatically, also shares this perspective.
In a closed perspectival structure there are different figure-perspectives, but the relationships between these are made so clear that, in reality, there is only one audience-perspective.
In an open perspectival structure there also different figure-perspectives but the relationship between these is left unclear. Therefore, there are additional audience-perspectives.
From what kind of perspective is Sweeney Todd written? To determine that, we must determine the kind of perspectivity which governs the internal communication system. It is very clear that the dramatic figures do not share one and the same perspective. So Sweeney Todd's perspective is either open or closed depending upon the perspectivity in the external communication system. Is there one audience-perspective? I think there is. The public is lead to the belief that what Sweeney did was wrong; and these opinions are guided in a clear way for instance in the Ballad of Sweeney Todd:
To seek revenge may lead to hell,This is from the last ballad. But even from the very beginning our perspectives are guided:
But everyone does it, as seldom as well.
Attend the tale of Sweeney ToddEven the title of the play is an indication of this Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The deeds of the Judge and the Beadle are never justified. Because there is only one audience perspective we can state that Sweeney Todd has a closed perspectival structure.
He served a dark and a vengeful god
Looking at different figure-perspectives, we can observe that there is a hierarchy among them. Todd's perspective is the greatest since he knows almost everything that has happened in the past and that is happening in the present. Less aware is Mrs. Lovett, who is not as concerned with the events that brought Todd to bring revenge upon his old enemies but more to keep the pie-shop running at any cost. A third and lower level of awareness is that of Anthony and Johanna, and the Judge and the Beadle: Anthony and Johanna know nothing of Todd's evil plans and Johanna probably does not even know she is Todd's daughter. All the other figures form the lowest level in this hierarchy.
